“The possibility of the U.S. Congress adopting an Armenian Genocide resolution will enable the United States to pressure Turkey in the Armenian-Turkish reconciliation process,” Stepan Safaryan, Chairman of the Heritage parliamentary faction, told a press conference on March 2.

From the moment the Armenian-Russian protocols were singed, Turkey launched a policy of long-term delay of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, he said. Safaryan pointed out that the ratification of the protocols may halt the process. “It is not yet clear whether U.S. President Barack Obama will pronounce the word ‘genocide’ on April 24. It is not ruled out in case Turkey fails to meet the United States’ requirements. It is more important, however, that the U.S. Congress adopt the Armenian Genocide resolution,” Safaryan said. The discussions at the U.S. Congress scheduled for March 4 are nothing but another step to threaten Turkey.

In his turn, the specialist in Turkic philology Ruben Melkonyan, said that the possibility of the U.S. Congress adopting the Armenian Genocide resolution will exacerbate the anti-American sentiments in Turkey.

According to him, in its efforts to prevent the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, Turkey has become hostage to its own actions. “The United States, as well as a number of European states, making use of the problem, will be ‘extorting’ concessions from Turkey, and the present market relations between the United States and Turkey are evidence thereof. Using the Armenian Genocide resolution as a bludgeon, the United States is threatening turkey even now,” Melonyan said.

He emphasized the fact that before March 4, President Barack Obama, in contrast to his predecessor, George Bush, is keeping silence about the possibility of the U.S. Congress adopting the Armenian Genocide resolution. Safaryan, in turn, pointed out that on the way to normalizing its relations with Turkey, Armenia has to “rearrange” its actions toward Turkey.

T.P.